Coin and mail holding device for mail-boxes.



.T. E. SHIN N. l COIN AND MAIL HOLDING DEVICE POR MAIL BOXES.

`APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1912.

Patented May 13, 1913.

W/T/VESSES TUBNEYS JAMES EDDY SHINN, OF CONWAY SPRINGS, KANSAS.

COIN AND MAIL HDLDING DEVICE FOR MAIL-BOXES.

Application tiled May 29, 1912. SerialNo. 700,458.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES EDDY SHINN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ,of Conway Springs, in the county of Sumner and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin and Mail Holding Devices for Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for holding coins, post cards and letters in mail boxes, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple device which may be placed on the interior of any mail box, and which will permit a postman to pick up letters or postals or to take out the coin without the necessity of his removing his gloves to do so.

A further object of my invention is to provide a coin holder in which the delivery of thekcoins may be accomplished by one hand, thereby permitting the postman to have free useof the other.

A further object of my yinvention is to provide a simple device having spring clips arranged to hold the letters or postals in such a manner as to be raised from the floor of the box so as to permit them to be readily grasped by the hand.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, in 'which'- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mail box, a portion being cut away to show the position of the coin and mail holding device on the interior of the box; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a box and through the coin and mail holding device; and Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional View of the mail holding device.

of any convenient mail box 1 such as that shown in Fig.l 1. On the interior of the box I have placed the coin and mail holding devices. In the present instance I have shown such` a device as consisting of a body portion 2 having an integral upwardly extending portion 3, rearwardly turned sprlng clipped members 4 and 5 at the forward end of said body portion 2 and forwardly bent spring clipped portions 6 and 7, the spring Specification of Letters Patent.

In carrying out my invention I make use".` modifications as fairly Patented May 13, 1913.

clip V6 being in vertical alinement with the spring clip 4 and the clip 7 being in vertical alinement with the spring clip The ends of the springs 6 and 7 are rounded downwardly and inwardly as shown in the tigures. Pivotally secured at the upper end of the portion 3 is a receptacle 8 of the shape shown in the figure, this receptacle being suspended from the member 3 by means of the bail 9 which, as it will be noted is pivotally secured to the receptacle near its top.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood. The device is placed inside a Inail box in the position shown in the figure. If desired it may be secured direct-ly to the box, but if made with a large enough base portion-2 it will remain; in the position in which it is placed without furthe-r fastening. Many times a person will be out of stamps when he can place the coins in the receptacle for the postman to collect. The coinsmay be so placed for paying postage due or for any reason. When the postman opens the box all he needs to do is to place his fingers under the bottom of the receptacle and move it upwardly when it will swing on its bail in the manner shown in Fig. 2 and will deposit the coins l0 in the hand of the operator. On releasing the receptacle it will again assume its normal position shown in Fig. 1. This may be accomplished by one who has mittens or `gloves on without the necessity of removing them.

A letter or postal may bethrust between the spring clips 4 6, 5-7, and will be held as shown at 1l in Fig. 2. It will be observed that the end of the letter or postal is raised from the bottom of the box, and this permits the postman to grasp it without removing his gloves. Obviously more than one letter or postal could be thrust between the clips.

I am aware that other forms of the device based on the same general plan might be made, but I consider as my own all such fall within the spirit and the scope oflthe invention.

I claim v 1. A coin and mail holding device comprising a base portion, a vertically extending integral portion at one end of said base p0rtion, a coin receptacle carried by said vertically extending portion, said base portion having a lower integral spring clip member on each side of said base portion, and an upper integral sp1-.ing clip member, both of said clip members having rounded jaws for receiving mail.

10 toward said upwardly extending support,

and a pair of upper spring' clip members bent from the end of the base carrying the integral upright toward the lower spring clips, the engaging portions of said spring clips being rounded.

JAMES EDDYSHINN Witnesses: l

R. A. MOILHENNY, GrUs THOMAS. 

